At this point in the master’s program, I have received a lot of information that I am currently implementing into my profession, Minister of Music/Music Teacher. As I am learning the information, I find myself continually having conversations with people that are in related fields or want an instructional designer on their team.

              As I reflect on this semester, I find that I am continually looking for instructional design opportunities and evaluating projects that I am involved in. For every task that I am assigned, I ponder what is the need for this task. Our text describes a need as a gap between the way things are and the way they should be (Cennamo, p. 32).  Casual conversations become informal instruction. As I look at the various task that are performed, I begin to inquire about what type of human performance improvement strategies can be implemented. Human Performance Improvement is a framework that places Training and Development within broader efforts to help organizations achieve such goals (Carliner, Kindle Locations 2535-2536). I am continually reviewing the audience and the resources for instruction. I consider the age group and knowledge base for the delivery mode. I continue to ask if training will fill the gap.  Based on feedback from my colleagues, I have been successful in providing systematic processes in action items that I have to deliver. The study of instructional design (and the accompanying courses) has helped me to identify those elements that make instruction successful. There have been times that deliverables were not successful. Prior to studying instructional design, I would ask myself what went wrong. Now I ask myself, where is my design flaw. Over the semester, I have learned this major lesson: proper instructional design will minimize confusion.

              As I continue this journey of learning instructional design, I see the changes in how I approach instruction with various types of learners. I am reminded of a statement given by an instructional designer. “Instructional Design is systematic. If the design is correct, it should work.”

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References:

Cennamo, Katherine. Real World Instructional Design. Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Carliner, Saul; Driscoll, Margaret. An Overview of Training and Development: Why Training. Lakewood Media. Kindle Edition.